Madras HC refuses to quash case against temple activist Rangarajan Narasimhan

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court refused to quash the criminal case registered against Rangarajan Narasimhan, a temple activist, based on the complaint lodged by Sriperumbudur Embar Jeeyar.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan said he was not convinced with the contentions put forth by Rangarajan who sought to quash the criminal case, and dismissed the petition.

On December 16, the cybercrime unit of Chennai police arrested Rangarajan from his residence in Srirangam for allegedly publishing distorted audio conversation with Sriperumbudur Jeeyar. In a video, Rangarajan alleged that the Jeeyar performed Brahamana Dhosam ritual at deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s residence.

After the video went viral on social media, the Jeeyar denied that he performed such rituals on the request of the deputy CM.

Based on the Jeeyar’s complaint, the cybercrime wing registered a case against Rangarajan under sections 192, 352, 353 (1) (b), 353 (2) of BNS and 65 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. He was arrested and lodged in Puzhal Central Prison.

Rangarajan contended that the case was foisted against him with malafide intention and political vendetta. He also alleged that the police committed serious procedural irregularities by arresting him without issuing a summons. Citing lack of prima facie and violation of his freedom of speech, he sought to quash the case.

But the government advocate submitted that he had recorded the telephonic conversation with Jeeyar without his knowledge and distorted the audio against the deputy CM, which was defamatory in nature, and posted it on social media.

Rangarajan alleged that his claim that conducting such rituals indicated that Udhayanidhi changed from being anti-Sanatana to a practitioner of Sanatana dharma seems to have hurt somebody, resulting in foisting a case against him using the Jeeyar as a scapegoat.